The art of slowing down

These past few weeks have been a flurry of bright summer energy and activity. I'm connecting with more and more people who are seeking support in developing their yoga practice. I'm spending time in nature soaking up the sun and tending to my garden. And I'm spending hours working on a special project that's been close to my heart and whispering to me for over a year. It's almost ready to share. On top of it all, I'm a mom to a now two year old.

My schedule is as full as my heart. Which is to say, it is full to the brim and I get only as much time to myself as I am willing to sacrifice in exchange for time I would otherwise be sleeping. As grateful as I am for all of these positive things in my life, I notice how easily I fall into old habits of pushing myself too far. I catch myself realizing I have skipped lunch yet again so I could get more done, or I realize I am still working on my laptop late into the night when I am inspired to keep working on my passion project for Om: The Practice, only to wake up feeling drained and struggle the next day.

Yet I am all too aware of the irony that I, an entrepreneur whose entire raison d'etre is to help people find balance and nurture their nervous systems, am burning the candle at both ends. How can I remain authentic if I do not practice the techniques and live in alignment with the values that are central to this mission in the first place?

This is not a post that will suggest 5 Easy Steps to a Harmonious Life, or some magic bullet that will resolve the very real challenges people face in meeting the demands of modern life.

It is instead an invitation.

The next time that you notice a growing sense of urgency within you

Or a rising irritability at minor things that don't normally get under your skin...

I invite you to pause, and get curious. Sit in stillness for five whole minutes, and simply observe the thoughts that arise. Set a timer if you must, put all devices aside, and simply sit, trying not to move at all except for your breathing.

Mind

If you do not have a meditation practice, sitting still for five whole minutes can feel extremely long.

But you know what that does? It slows your reality right down.

Yogas citta vritti nirodha.

Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.

It is often only when we sit in stillness that we notice how much our minds are racing. We cannot begin to still the mind without first noticing its fluctuations. The moment you observe a thought arising, visualize the thought as a rising bubble, and with your next breath gently blow the bubble away from you, trusting that it will return to you when you need it, and focus all of your awareness on the physical sensations in your body.

Body

Can you deepen your breath?

Can you soften your jaw?

Can you relax your brow?

Release any clenching in your belly.

Feel the temperature of the air on your skin.

...and if you are new to meditation, you might sneak a peek at your phone at this point and realize that only 47 seconds have passed. In the face of a five minute challenge you might notice a pang of disappointment.

If this is you, allow yourself some grace. Take a deep breath, and with your exhale gently blow the bubble of disappointment and judgement away, and simply return your awareness to your breath.

Meditation is an incredible tool for slowing down our experience of time. Instead of judging yourself for being "unable" to last a full five minutes, marvel at the powerful effect that 47 seconds had for you. And try it again the next day. You may notice your experience is different.

That's the art of slowing down.

Love,

Britt